When I began singing, it was the first time I was happy in my life. As a baby, I would stop crying when I heard a great singer.

A country that has really resonated with me and I was really impressed with was Israel. I found that the whole country had a very special atmosphere. I was there to perform, but it was one of the few places that I've visited over the years that I had some free time to explore, and I was hugely impressed by all the religious history there.

It is not Christian to go against someone. I am in favour of life.

To sing opera, one needs two things: the voice and the passion - and above all, the passion.

Opera singing is in every way of inestimable value; a real heritage for all mankind that has been reached over centuries of studies, attempts, flights of the spirit.

I don't like crying. I'm a country boy, and we're the product of our upbringing. As a boy, I was told that men don't cry.

I also always carry my flute. It's very important for me to try to relax when I'm travelling, and playing my flute helps me to unwind.